By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, Oct 10 — The state government is looking to integrate its free Smart Selangor Bus service with other modes of public transportation in the Klang Valley, in a bid to ensure better streamlining with the federal administration.
Executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han said the state is currently reviewing the Smart Selangor bus routes, with an emphasis on enhancing first and last mile connectivity.
“This comprises pedestrian-friendly walkways, micro mobility options like e-scooters and electric bicycles, and the launch of the Selangor Mobility Van DRT (Demand-Responsive Transit) system slated for later this year,” he said in a statement today.
Ng said the decision to review the bus routes was made during a Selangor Mobility Permanent Committee meeting yesterday, following the Transport Ministry’s recent announcement for better coordination of bus services through Prasarana Bhd.
Elaborating on the Van DRT system, Ng said it is designed to primarily serve passengers at public transportation hubs, with the overarching goal of boosting the use of primary public transports such as buses and rail.
“Areas that are more suitable for Van DRT, such as high-density zones and narrow roads, will replace the Smart Selangor Bus facility in the future,’’ he said.
Last month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that his ministry, through the Land Public Transport Agency, aims to better coordinate bus routes within the Klang Valley.
At present, the area is served by three distinct bus operations, namely Rapid Bus, the complimentary GoKL buses managed by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and the Smart Selangor Bus under the state government.
Loke hopes to deploy 1,000 Rapid buses in the Klang Valley by year-end.
The initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of public transport within the region and seeks to boost its usage by an additional 40 per cent.
Meanwhile, Ng said it is his hope that through this ongoing effort between the federal and state governments that public transportation will be the primary choice for travel among the people of Selangor and Klang Valley by 2030.
“This is in line with the Selangor Public Transport Master Plan, which aims to have 60% of users opting for public transport by then.”
Smart Selangor Bus was introduced in 2016 and currently serves 50 routes, with a total of 166 buses in operation.
To date, the free service has recorded over 60 million passengers, with RM169.5 million allocated for the initiative.
